Joe Mixon Enters Alford Plea on Misdemeanor Assault Charge

Oklahoma freshman running back Joe Mixon entered an Alford plea Thursday afternoon on misdemeanor charges of punching a female student on July 25 at a restaurant in Norman, Oklahoma, per Eric Bailey of the Tulsa World:

"

In an Alford plea, a defendant can maintain that he is innocent but allow a court to pronounce him guilty, acknowledging that sufficient evidence exists for a jury to find him guilty.

Mixon received a one-year deferred sentence, will be responsible for 100 hours of community service and will have to partake in cognitive behavior counseling. He entered an Alford plea on the charge of acts resulting in gross injury/outraging public decency.

"

"We think it's a fair agreement," said Tyler Box, Cleveland County assistant district attorney. "The agreement calls for 100 hours of community service, which we think serves the community and also calls for him to participate in behavior counseling, which we feel was also needed."   

Oklahoma suspended Mixon for the entirety of the 2014 college football season a little less than a month after the incident occurred. According to Bailey, Mixon struck another student after the two got into an argument at Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe.

John Shinn of The Norman Transcript reported earlier in October that the surveillance tape from the restaurant in question would be released to the public on Nov. 3. However, that no longer appears to be the case:

The Tulsa World's Guerin Emig spoke with a city attorney from Norman who was also unsure as to the tape's possible release:

Oklahoma President David Boren released a statement to the media. In it, he said that Mixon's suspension won't be overturned but that he'll have a chance to get back on the team in the spring, per Bailey:

Mixon entered Norman with a ton of hype as a 5-star recruit. According to 247Sports' composite rankings, he was the best all-purpose back in the Class of 2014 and 21st-best recruit overall.

He served as the crown jewel of the Sooners' recruiting class, which ranked 14th in the nation in 247Sports' composite system.